


He who laught last

by justreaderr



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: AU Bilbo did not hand over the Arkenstone, AU The orcs never came, Dwarf Pride, Gen, Rebuilding Dale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-07 15:43:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4268982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justreaderr/pseuds/justreaderr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fill for:<br/>Dwarves win but ruin their relationship with their neighbours<br/>I want a story where the orcs never came. Somehow Thorin manages to win the stalemate at the gate. He does not give up any gold to Dale or Laketown and the dwarves force the elves and men to retreat. Perhaps blood was shed perhaps not.<br/>Several years later, I want to see how this bites Thorin in the ass. Men do manage to rebuild Laketown (and maybe Dale too?) without the help of the dwarves. Thorin did not realize what a symbiotic relationship his people had with Dale before Smaug came. (Dale produced a large majority of Erebor’s food. Dale and Laketown were important markets for dwarven goods. Most anything that Erebor needed to purchase had to come through Laketown at some point.)<br/>Since Thorin refused to help Dale, they see no reason to help him now. I just want to see this dynamic and consequences to Thorin and the other dwarves to completely alienating their neighbours.<br/>Bonus if alienating the Elves also bites them on the ass somehow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Promt filled in short chapters
> 
> English is not my native language so I appologies for any mistakes made.

Chapter 1

Bard watched the newly arrived anxiously. This dwarf astride a giant boar was obviously known to the elvenking at his side since the elf hissed in displeasure.

“Who is this?” the bowman questioned quietly.

“This is Dain Ironfoot, Lord of the Ironhills”, Thranduil responded.

“You know him?”

“Yes, we have had a few dealings with the dwarves from the Ironhills. He is unpredictable, proud and belligerent. I fear the tide has turned on us.”

Bards head snapped towards the old king, “What do you mean. Surely they do not mean to fight us. There are only about five hundred of them and nearly two thousands of your warriors. They would not stand a chance.”

The elf smiled sadly. “They would not win, in this you are correct, bowman, but they will fight nevertheless to the last dwarf. It would be a massacre, not just the dwarves but my people and yours as well. I will not be the reason for such bloodshed.”

“You will leave us to face them alone?” Bard gapped horrified at the lines of dwarven warriors.

“I will aid you and defend you, young Bard, as far as possible, but I will not sacrifice the life of my kin for gold.”

Bard visible deflated and lifted his eyes to meet those of the dwarven lord who has be observing their whispered exchange and was now smirking.

Thranduil then raised his voice for all to hear “We will not fight you, Dain Ironfoot, for I will not sacrifices immortal lives to the madness of dwarves.” And over the triumphant dwarfish victory cries he turned to Thorin “Yet you, king under the mountain, will you keep your word to the men of the lake, will you give them what you promised for their aid.”

“They will have nothing, for nothing is what they deserve.” came his majesty’s arrogant response.

“Very well, dwarf, yet heed my words of warning this day will come to be your greatest regret.”

Those last grave words spoken the elvenking gave a short order in elfish, and his army started pulling back towards Dale. The men followed slowly.


	2. Chapter 2

The winter was hard on the men of the lake, but Thranduil stayed true to his word and aid came from the elves. 

The woodland realm opened its storages to allow both men and elves meagre and rationed but sufficient meals throughout the winter. As the healers took care of the wounded the soldiers started the taxing work of cleaning the city of debris and rubble and aiding the men in securing accommodations.

Spring brought the first carriages of food and seed from Lorien as well as elves knowledgeable in the proficiency of growing crops, vegetables and fruit to teach the fishermen. 

Coming summer a group masons and architects reached them from Rivendell, finally allowing the men access to the skills needed to rebuild their new homes in the city of Dale.

In autumn the fields around the once destroyed city stood full in bloom and the first harvest could be brought in. The desolation of Smaug no longer existent.

And upon the arrival of the first snow Bard was crowned the first King of the new city of Dale in the presents of all the leaders of the elves and with guests from Gondor and Rohan, bringing with them first promises of trade and alliance.

Dale has risen from the ashes of Smaug’s fires to become a strong new kingdom.

Through all this however one thing was most notable: a total absence of dwarves. And word began to spread throughout Middle Earth.


	3. Chapter 3

As they watched the armies of elves and men leave the slope of Erebor, the dwarves of Thorin’s fellowship shouted and jeered in triumph. Together with Dain and his fellow dwarves they cleaned away the rubble they had used to barricade the mountain and in the evening and throughout the night ale flowed freely.

The next day was spent in recovering from their nightly feast and massages were sent to the Blue Mountains to tell the tale of their victory. Yet the arrival of their kin still many months away, the dwarves spent the reminder of the winter gorging on the provisions provided by Dain and enjoying their newfound wealth to the fullest. 

But with the onset of spring their supplies were dropping rapidly and Dain and his warriors were reading themselves to return to their own mountains.

“When will we be able to expect a new delivery of food” Thorin asked his cousin in the morning of his departure.

“Oh well, first I need to make sure our storages are refilled after this winter” answered the red-bearded dwarf “Then I will see if there are any leftovers we can send you.”

“But we are running out of food already, we need supplies immediately otherwise we will starve within a month time.” demanded the dwarven king.

“I’m sorry, Thorin, but I need to look after my own first. I have already drained our storages to get you over this winter. I’m certain you will be able to find a solution; after all you only have to feed thirteen dwarfs once the hobbit is gone. There Is a giant forest directly in front of your door. Hunt for game, or maybe you can buy something from the elves or men. We have seen new carriages arriving at their settlement.”

Thorin grunted annoyed “Neither the elves nor the men will have already forgiven us for defeating and humiliating them in front of our gates. No, it is too early to try to reach out to them again, but we shall go hunting until you are able to resupply us.”

The dwarf nodded “Aye, but Thorin, you should not wait too long until you try to re-establish trade agreements with them. I will not be able to feed my own kingdom and yours as well; and Erebor has no lands on the outside to sustain itself.”

“Don’t worry the men will come sooner or later to beg us for trade, after all they need our gold.” Thorin reassured his cousin.

Dain seemed uncertain for a moment, than he nodded “You surly will know this best yourself.”

“Yes, I do, have a good journey home, Cousin, we will meet again, once my people has reached the mountain, to celebrate the homecoming of Durin’s people.”

The other dwarf nodded and waved his hammer goodbye, then he turn and left the mountain behind.


	4. Chapter 1

“Uncle, we have a problem” Kili ran up to Thorin.

“What problem do you speak of, my boy?” he eyed his nephew up and down for a second then remarked “Haven’t I sent you and your brother out hunting? Where is your quarry?”

“Well, this is our problem. We hunted a few rabbits and a stag when the elves came upon us. They were seething that we killed their beasts and Tauriel informed us in uncertain terms should they ever again find us poaching again they will hunt us down and lock us away until the end of all days.”

“And the game you already killed?”

“They took it from us, to give it to the people of laketown.”

“You are kidding” Thorin huffed annoyed “Before Smaug there was never a problem with dwarves hunting in Mirkwood and I’m certain the men are doing so as well.”

“Yes, they do, we saw some of them, and asked the elves the same. They only snored and told us they had in opposition to us King Thranduils permission.”

“And did you try to get the permission of that damned woodland sprite?”

“We tried, uncle, but he only snored and denied our request.”

“He did what? Why? There was never a problem with us hunting, why should there be one now.”

“Well …” Kili hesitated uncertainly, but then replied, “He said we do not deserve the right to hunt on his lands.”

Thorins eyes narrowed dangerously, “So he wants to play this game. Well then he can have it. We do not need to hunt, we simply will fish in the lake. The oh-so-great Elvenking has no claim on that water. Sent Bofur, Bifur and Dori down to the lake to fish.”

Kili nodded and ran back the way he had come.


	5. Chapter 5

Three days later while Thorin was sitting on his throne Nori sought him out.

“Thorin, we have encountered a slight problem.”

The King sat straight in his seat and focused on the other dwarf. “What problem?”

“Well, when we were fishing we were suddenly surrounded by a group of elves…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” snarled Thorin livid. “Under what pretence are they trying to keep us from fishing?”

“They say the lake is within the lands of the men and to fish there we need the permission of Bard, the bowman.”

“And let me guess Tauriel told you should they catch us again fishing without permission they will lock us up until the end of time.”

“The sentiment is correct, yet it was not that not so charming red-haired she elf, but a male one.”

“The prince?”

“No.”

“Then who is he to claim the right to obtain you?”

“He named himself Haldir and said he is the marchwarden of Lorien and tasked by Bard to keep unwanted elements of those lands.”

“Lorien? What the hell are elves from there doing here? And unwanted elements? How dare they?”

The thief only shrugged, “It seems to me, the Elvenking had asked his brethren for help.”

“Of course.” Thorin growled menacing, “Did you try to obtain Bard’s permission?” 

“Yes, he deems us undeserving of such permission.”

The king snarled in anger, “The men and those Mahal-damned treeshaggers are obviously ganging up on us, but I will ot be played with. Do you have any idea how we could acquire moor food, we are dwarves and do deserve far better fare than those nasty mountain mushrooms.”

“I could sneak down and into Dale and steal some food” considered Nori aloud.

Thorin nodded slightly lost in thoughts. “That is a very good idea, Laughable if dwarves could not outwit some pointy-ears.”

Nori nodded approvingly and left his king alone.


	6. Chapter 6

The very next morning Dwalin knocked at his kings door, and once it was opened he murmured, “You should probably come with me to the ramparts.”

Thorin grinded his teeth so hard together they hurt and stormed past his friend. 

Upon the walls he could look down onto three blond elves two of them holding Nori trapped between them, the reminding elf focused his eyes on the mountain king. 

“Hail, dwarven king, we found something of yours”, the elf called and something like a satisfied smirk settled onto his countenance, “We thought you would like to have it back.”

On a subtle gesture the other two elves shoved Nori forward. The dwarf caught himself within a few steps and turned back around to snarl at his captors.

“Let this be your last warning, mountain king, should we catch one of yours again, they will serve their time in prison. While Dale is still in ruin King Thranduil offered kindly to accommodate them and he wants me to let you know, this time there will be no hobbit and no way out.” Then the elf turned towards the still snaring dwarf “You were breathing so loud, dwarf, we could have shot you in the dark.”

With this last massage delivered the elves turned tail and left the mountain.

And so it came that the dwarves of Erebor were forced to eat mushroom for the next seven month until the next delivery of food from the Ironhills reached them. And while Bombur tried to turn the mushrooms by sheer force of will in something eligible his success was meagre and those months felt like the longest they had ever had lived through. 

And many more would follow, until finally a nearly broken king of dwarves came to Dale and demanded to see King Bard. And as Gold finally reached Dale the dwarves of Erebor celebrated the first of many feasts with their neighbors. A promise of peace and most importantly a promise of no more mushrooms!

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think


End file.
